Apparatus for taking and developing a series of pictures in sequency on a film strip



Feb. 13, 1951 P. s. ALLEN APPARATUS FOR TAKING AND DEVELOPING A SERIES OF PICTURES IN SEQUENCE ON A FILM STRIP Filed Feb. 19, 1946 8 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR WWW mam

ATTORNEY Feb. 13, 1951 P. s. ALLEN 2,

APPARATUS FOR TAKING AND DEVELOPING A SERIES OF PICTURES IN SEQUENCE ON A FILM STRIP 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 19, 1946 INVENTOR ailivm .lill IE: IIII'liI ii!!! rllv l lll ATTORNEY INVENTOR ATTORNEY 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 8 BY W1). (TM

ALLEN P. APPARATUS FOR TAKING AND DEVELOPING A SERIES OF PICTURES IN SEQUENCE ON A FILM STRIP Feb. 13, 1951 Filed Feb. 19, 1946 Feb. 13, 1951 P. S. ALLEN APPARATUS FOR TAKING AND DEVELOPING A SERIES 0F PICTURES IN SEQUENCE ON A FILM STRIP Filed Feb. 19, 1946 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR MDJMM ATTORNEY Feb. 13, 1951 v P. s. ALLEN 2,541,015

APPARATUS FOR TAKING AND DEVELOPING A SERIES OF PICTURES IN SEQUENCE ON A FILM STRIP Filed Feb. 19, 1946 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 fig? J52 J54 J65 INVENTOR Y MDJM.

ATTORNEY Feb. 13, 1951 2,541,016

P. S. ALLEN APPARATUS FOR TAKING AND DEVELOPING A SERIES OF PICTURES IN SEQUENCE ON A FILM STRIP Filed Feb. 19, 1946 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 ATTORNEY Feb. 13, 1951 P. s. ALLEN 2,541,016

APPARATUS FOR TAKING AND DEVELOPING A SERIES OF PICTURES IN SEQUENCE ON A FILM STRIP Flled Feb 19 1946 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 v INVENTOR p o 5. m

50am D. Jonw ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 13, 1951 APPARATUS FOR TAKING AND DEVELOPING A SERIES OF PICTURES IN SEQUENCE ON A FILM STRIP Philip S. Allen, Long Beach, Calif.

Application February 19, 1946, Serial No. 648,737

My invention relates to photographic apparatus for automatically taking and developing photographs and delivering them in the form of finished positives. More particularly, my invention relates to apparatus'adapted to act automatically, upon performance of an act such as the insert-ion of a coin, to take a series of photographs of a subject upon a sensitized strip at short time intervals suitable for changes of posture, and to then develop and deliver the strip.

In my United States Letters Patent No. 2,380,378, dated July 31, 1945, I have disclosed apparatus of the above described character in which the sensitized strip, after exposure, is dipped into a succession of developing and washing baths held in the compartments of a tank which rotates at timed intervals while the strip is held above it, and remains stationary while the strip is dipped into each of the successive baths. In my present invention, the tank containing the bath compartments is stationary, while the strip holder not only reciprocates vertically but revolves to each of the baths in turn. Other changes and improvements, in part resulting from this principal change and in part independent thereof will also appear in this present disclosure, but insofar as mechanism fully described in my above referred to patent is included in the embodiment of my present invention it will be described in broad and functional terms, reference being made to my earlier disclosure for exact details.

A purpose of my invention is to provide an automatic camera which will expeditiously produce a series of clear unfogged photographs in a variety of poses upon a unitary strip.

Another object is the provision of efiicient and rapid developing means in which the various chemicals and rinses are caused to actively wash the strip of film immersed therein, this action being entirely automatic with the dipping of the strip in the baths and requiring no extra moving parts.

Yet another purpose of my invention i to provide in such a photographic apparatus strip carrying means which are positive in their action, to the end that damp strips of film cannot become lodged in any part of the apparatus but are carried bodily but nevertheless loosely and without disfigurin clamps from one bath to another and then when sufliciently dried, are forcibly gripped and ejected to the delivery orifice.

A further purpose of my invention is to provide simple and effective means for producing from a single power source in alternate repetitive se- 9 Claims. (Ci. 95-44) quence two types of intermittent motion for a film carrier, in one of which it is vertically reciprocated with a relatively long pause while at the lower end of its vertical travel, and in the other of which it is horizontally angularly swung during the relatively short pause at the upper end of its vertical movement.

Still another purpose is to provide means for accurately aligning the strip carrier with the strip which it is to receive. As this alignment need occur but once in each cycle of operations, the provision of special means for that purpose at that point in the cycle obviates the need of careful alignment and undue length of travel at other points.

It is also one of my purposes to provide a setting for the developing baths by which they may be rotated to a convenient replacement and replenishing station without interference with, or requirement of operation of, other parts of the apparatus.

To attain the above purposes and others which will become apparent hereinafter, I have embodied my invention in a preferred form of which the following is an illustrative description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the cabinet in which my apparatus is mounted, with parts broken away and in section to disclose the general arrangement;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view inside the cabinet on the line 22 of Fig. 1, as a person being photographed sees it;

. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, illustrating the arrangement of the operating mechanism within the cabinet housing;

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged detail of the view of Fig. 3, with parts in section, showing the cam-. era, shutter, and film feeding mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, showing the hutter drive;

Fig. 6 is a still further enlarged detail showing the type of slip clutch pulley used wherever required inmy apparatus;

Fig. 7 is a view on the line 7-4 of Fig. 5. illustrating the stop and start mechanism of the shutter and the correlated flood-light control;

Fi 8 is a horizontal section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 4 and on a further enlarged scale, giving details of the film-advancing drive and the interruptin control therefor;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail in horizontal section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 4, showing the film cutter and its operating means;

Fig. 10 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the developing apparatus housed in the lower part of the cabinet;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged view of the film immerser shown in Fig. 10, taken at right angles thereto;

Figs. 12 and 13 are fragmentary sections taken respectively on lines l2-| 2 and 13-43 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the driving mechanism shown in Fig. 10, taken at right angles thereto on the line |4l 4 thereof;

Fig. 15 is an enlarged plan view with parts broken away taken on the line l'5-|5 of Fig.

10, and showing the interrupting control for the:

rotary drive of the film immersing assemblage;

Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 15, but with the parts in an altered position.

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary horizontal section on the line H-Il of Fig. 3, illustrating the film ejecting mechanism;

Fig. 18 is a view similar to Fig. 17, the parts being shown in other stages of their cycle of operation;

Fig. 19 is an enlarged sectional view on the line |9|9 of Fig. 17, showing the ejecting mechanism about to seize a strip of film from the film carrier;

Fig. 20 is a detail in section on the line 2020 of Fig. 19, showing the mounting of the film ejector jaws;

Fig. 21 is an elevational view of the immerser lifting mechanism;

Fig. 22 is a plan view of the developing and rinsing tank; and

Fig. 23 is a vertical section on an enlarged scale on the lines 23--23 of Fig. 3, showing theproviding a booth 30 furnished with a seat 31. A person posed on the seat 3|v for photographing sees before him a panel 32 behind which is a compartment 33 enclosing the automatic apparatus to be presently described and serving as a photographic dark room for the developing of finished photographs. Directly before the sitter is the orifice 34 of a light passage 35 leading to a camera, and above and below theorifice 34 are flood lamps 36 for illuminating the booth. An instruction sheet 31 maybe posted on the panel 32, informing the sitter that by looking at lights 38, 39, 40, and 4-1, which will flash on in sequence during the sitting, he may obtain photographs in four poses. A coin receiver 42' is provided, and a cover 44' conceals film delivery mechanism above a delivery chute 45 and chute stop 46.

Within the cabinet A the compartment 33' is divided by a horizontal partition 5.0 into upper and lower chambers 13 and C, the latter being further subdivided by upper cross-supports i and 52 and lower cross-supports 53 and 53a. All of these supports are supported by a vertical inner framework W in turn supported on an outer frame WI. The upper chamber B houses amaster current distributor D, while the lower chamber C houses, as major units, a camera, shutter, and light reflecting assembly E and a film supply unit F supported by the supports 51- and 5-2 and by the side-walls of the chamber, and a. filmcarrying and developing unit G, supported by the lower support 53 and 53a; and as units of lesser size generally supported by the side-walls of the cabinet a film cutter H, an immerser lifting mechanism I, door-opening mechanism J, and film-ejecting mechanism K, to be described in detail in suitable order hereinafter.

A control motor 54, housed in the upper chamber B, is electrically in circuit with a current supply passing through the coin receiver 42, of which numerous suitable types are commercially available. Deposit of a suitable coin in the receiver 42 closes the circuit and starts the motor 54 which, as shown in Fig. 23, is connected by reduction gears 55 and worm gear 56 to the master current distributor D. The distributor D is similar in general plan and function to the similar device described in my U. S. patent hereinbefore referred to, and it is believed sufficient herein to describe it as comprising a number of cam wheels 51 which as they revolve act upon cam followers 5.8 to close and reopen the. circuits to the various. solenoids and motors in appropriate sequence. The distributor D revolves throughout the entire cycle of automatic operations, its final act being to break the circuit to the control motor 54 and thus bring the mech anism to a stop.

A camera 60-, as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 is supported from the cross-support 5| in. part by a. shutter housing. 6i and in part through a. housing 62 which is part of. the film supply unit F. The light passage 35 directs the light from. the orifice 34 upon a mirror 63 set in a hood 5.4 so as to deflect the light beams at a right angle through adjustable focusing lenses 65 upon a sensitized paper strip or film 66. By this arrangement the sensitized strip 6.5 receives a reversed image and, when developed and fixed. as a positive. print, presents a true image of the sitter. The shutter housing 5'! intervenes between the light. passage 35 and the mirror 63- and encloses a rotary shutter 6! mounted on. a shaft 68. supported from supports. 5| and 52 by hangers. 69 and 10. A motor H, supported by the cross-support 52f, drives through intermediate bevel gears 12 a. jack-shaft 14, and thence by a slip clutch pulley 15, of the. type shown.

in Fig. 6, drives the shaft. 68 by means of a belt, 16. It will be seen that. because of the slip clutch pulley T5, the shaft 68 may be stopped by a resistance imposed thereon while the motor H continues to turn the jack-shaft 13.

The shutter 61' has an orifice 11 alignable by the rotationv of the. shutter, with the light passage. 35 and mirror 63 to. cause a. photographic exposure of the sensitized strip 53.. Adjacent the perimeter of the shutter 61 is. a lug 13,.engageable through a hole T9. in the shutter housing. 61. by the core of a spring-returnedsolenoid 30 mounted. on the cross-support. 51. When the ing 18 is engaged by the solenoid 83, as shown in Fig. '7, the orifice 11' is stopped in the position shown. in broken lines, andthe shaft 68 is, of course, also stopped. When the energized. solenoid 8.0 momentarily releases the ms. 18 and then returns to the position illustrated, the shutter 61 and shaft 68 will be whirled one revolution with the orifice 11 causing. a photographic exposure as. it.

passes the opening Tia, on shutter housing 51 and being stopped again at the. broken line position. The shaft 53 has a earn it mounted thereon in line with a lever 32 connected to amercury switch 83 rotatable in a bracket. 34 upon the cross-support 5|. and controlling the flood lamps 36- As the shaft 68 revolves, the cam 8| makes contact with the lever 82 and causes the flood lamps 36 to be lighted durin the period in which the orifice 11 is rotating through the lower half of its orbit. When the cam passes out of contact with the lever 82, the latter is moved by a spring 82a to open the switch 63.

Also mounted on the shaft 68 and rotating intermittently therewith is a crank lever 85 which makes contact successively with the four pins 86 of a four-place rotary switch 81 suspended from the cross-support 52. The switch 81 controls the signal lights 38, 39, 40, and 4| in a circuit under the general control of the master current distributor D. Each revolution of the shaft 68 will cause the crank lever to make contact with a successive one of the pins 86 and thereby to rotate the switch 81 by a quarter-turn and to turn off one of the signal lights and turn on another. At the end of a cycle of operation, the switch 81 is left in position to turn on, for example, the left hand light 38. When the circuit is energized by the current distributor D, that light will flash on and remain on until after the first rotation of the shaft 68, that is to say, until 'after the first photographic exposure has been made. Immediately after the first exposure, the lever 85 turns the switch so as to turn oil light 38 and turn on light 39, and so through the cycle of four exposures, with the light 38 turned on momentarily at the end of the cycle until the circuit is deenergized by the current distributor D.

Turning now to the film supply unit F, as illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, and 8, a film magazine 90 is supported on a bracket 9| so as to feed the sensitized strip 66 through the housing 62 and the camera 60. To advance the strip 66, it is engaged by a pair of rollers 92 driven through gears 94, one of the rollers having an elongated shaft 95 upon which is a pulley 96 driven from the jackshaft 14 by a belt 91 and slip clutch pulley 98. The driven roller 92 is adjustable by means of the screw 99 to regulate the pressure exerted between the rollers. It will be seen that the drive of the rollers 92 is not positive but may be stopped by a resistance in the same manner as the drive to the shutter shaft 68. To synchronize the advancement of the strip 66 with the shutter action, the shutter shaft 68 carries a cam I which engages the downwardly turned end of an interrupter bar IOI mounted in roller guides I02 upon the cross-support 52. The bar IOI is urged toward the shaft 95 by a spring l04 and has a lateral arm I65 engageable when in its springurged position by a. finger I06 mounted upon said shaft. Such engagement stops the rotation of the shaft 95, with the slip clutch pulley 98 slipping upon the jack-shaft 14 but keeping tension upon the belt 91 to bring the rollers 92 into action at the instant the stoppage is removed. The cam I00 will rotate once with each revolution of the shutter 61, and will move the arm I95 out of engagement with the finger I06 to allow the finger to pass the arm, and thus will permit one revolution of the shaft 95 for each revolution of the shutter. The circumference of the rollers 92 is, of course, made equal to the length of the frame of'the strip 66 which is to be advanced for each exposure.

.The film cutter H is mounted upon the side wall of the framework W in operative position to cut the sensitized strip 66 just below the camera 60. It comprises a solenoid I I0, as shown in detail in Fig. 9, acting through a linkage III upon a blade II2 pivoted on a pivot pin H4 and cutting the strip 66 as it emerges from the film housing 62. A spring I I5, shown in Fig. 3, returns the blade II2 to its inactive position, and a guide channel II6 (see Fig. 4) having a slightly flared lower end guides a hereinafter described strip carrier to receive the cut-oil portion of the strip 66 as it falls. The solenoid IIO is controlled by the master current distributor D to be activated once in each cycle of operation at the end of a predetermined number of exposures and to be then moved into the cutting position shown in broken lines in Fig. 9.

When the sensitized strip 66 is severed by the blade II2, the exposed portion I20 so severed falls through the guide channel II6 into a strip carrier I2I, which may be termed the immerser, as its function is to immerse the severed strip I20 into a sequence of developing and rinsing baths. As it is necessary for this immerser to be aligned accurately to receive the strip I20 and to be mounted so as to clear the partitions between these baths and for the mechanism for holding it and transporting it also to clear these partitions, a handle I22 is attached to the immerser and means are provided, engageable with with the handle, for raising the immerser up to and into the flared end of the guide channel H6 in order to receive the strip I20 and for then returning it to a level at which the immersing operations may be carried on without waste motion. This immerser lifting mechanism I comprises a solenoid I23 mounted on the side wall of the cabinet WI as illustrated in detail in Fig. 21, and a lifting arm I24 connected to the solenoid I23 for arcuate movement by a linkage I25, and pivoted as at I21 on a bracket I26 fixed to the inner framework W. The core I26 of the solenoid I23 extends downwardly into a guide socket I29, and is urged upwardly by a spring I39 acting upon the guide socket and upon a collar I3i. The collar I3! is operatively connected to the piston of a pneumatic retarder or dash-pot I32 which operates to retard upward movement of the core I28, and, hence, the arm 524 so that arm end I24a engages the handle I 22 and lifts the immerser I2I once the latter has been rotated into position. The limit of movement of the core I28 is defined and cushioned by a compressible stop I33 fixed to core above the collar I3I to abut the solenoid I23. The solenoid I23 is energized immediately after the solenoid i I9 of the film cutter H, at which time the immerser I2I will contain the exposed and cut strip I20.

For developing and fixing the images upon the strip I20, I provide a series of tanks, illustrated in Fig. 22, and carrying mechanism shown in Figs. 10 to 16. A round tray I35 with a central opening I36 is rotatably mounted on ball-bearing rings I31 supported by the lower cross-supports 53 and 53a, and carries a plurality of tanks I33 for developing, fixing, and rinsing solutions. The purpose of the rotatable mounting is to afford easy access to the tanks I38 through a door, not shown in the back of the cabinet A, so that they may be individually removed for emptying and replenishing. The tray I35 is not rotated during the operation of the apparatus but is locked in place by a spring-bolt I39 which passes through eyes I40 on the rings I31, as shown in Fig. '14.

Each tank L, M, N, and O is divided into two compartments by a partition I38a, and this par- Suspended from the cross-supports 53 and 53a by a hanger MI is the driving mechanism for the film developing and carrying unit G. A rocket wheel I42, having two discs joined by pins 444 around its periphery, is .rotatablymoun ed, as by the bearing I45, on the hanger I41, and is operably connected to a motor I46 .by a pulley I41 and belt I46. The pins "I44 are equal in number to the tanks I38 and, as will be presently made clear, afford means for stopping the carrier mechanism at each of said tanks in turn. To permit such stoppage the drive pulley I49 for the belt I48 is of the same slip clutch type as pulleys and 98.

The sprocket wheel I42 supports in the central opening I36 and by means of stud-bolts I50, a block I5I which in turn supports a vertical column I52, which has vertical grooves I54 diametrically opposed, and has its upper end rotatably braced in a pillow-box I55 attached to the hood 64 of the camera 60. The block I5I and sprocket wheel I42 also support in bearings I56 and I51 a shaft I56. It will be seen that the sprocket wheel I42, block I5I, and column I52 are rotatable as a unit and that the shaft I 53 is rotatable with them or independently of them. The shaft I58 carries on its lower end a friction wheel I59, and between the sprocket wheel I42 and the block I5I a pulley I60. A shaft I6I suspended .i'rom the block l'5I in hangers i62 and I62a and carries pulleys I63 and I63a at right angles to and adjacent to the pulley I60. The column I52 carries adjacent its upper end a pulley I64, and the four pulleys I60, I63, I63a, and I64 are traversed by a belt "55 to which is fastened an elevator I66 by a clamp I61. The elevator is tracked in the grooves I54 by wheels I66. Rotation of the pulley I66 in one direction will cause the elevator I66 to ascend, and in the other direction will cause it to descend, the vertical movement of the elevator being limited by the stop I69 and the pulley H34, and the belt I65 being guided in its traverse by a guide -I1EI mounted upon the block :I5I. To facilitate raising and lowering of the elevator, a counter-weight I1I is inserted in the circuit of the belt I65.

The elevator I66 has an extension arm I12 of parallel rods bent downwardly at their outer end and there supporting a slideway I13, formed of a. plate with inwardly turned marginal channels, Within which the immerser MI .is slidably held.

It is the function of the elevator to dip the immerser HI and the exposed strip I into each of the tanks I33 and to hold them there for a short period before again raising them, and of the sprocket-wheel I 42 to rotate the arm i i2 from above one tank to above another adjacent tani: and to hold it there while the dipping operation is proceeding; and the mechanism for obtaining these related intermittent motions will now be described.

It will be remembered that the sprocket-wheel I 42 is operably connected to the slip clutch pulley I49 driven by the motor I46. The motor I46 also drives a slip clutch pulley I14 from which a belt I15 drives a shaft I15. The shaft I16 is mounted so as to be longitudinally slidable on a panel I11 supported by the hanger MI. The ends of the shaft I16 are operably connected to the cores of solenoids I79 and I19 so that the alternate energizing of these solenoids will thrust the shaft from end to end in a reciprocating movement between them. Friction discs I96 and IBI are mounted upon the shaft I16 so as to be alternatively engageable by the aforesaid reciprocating movement with the friction wheel I69 to turn it first in one direction and then in the other. illustrated ii Figs. 10 and 14, the elevator I66 is at the lower end of its stroke, and the rig-ht hand friction dia'e I is in contact with the friction wheel 159 to turn the shaft I58 in a clock-dise direction as it would be viewed from above, thereby causing the pulley I60 to pull on the counter-weight side of the belt I65 and to raise the elevator. The belt 115, which is given a twist by the rightangled positions of the slip-clutch pulley I14- and the shaft pulley I62, will seek a natural alignment of least tension; and the motor I4! is so placed that this alignment will move the shaft I16 to a neutral position in which neither of the friction discs I90 and 161 touches the friction wheel 159 when neither of the solenoids I16 and I19 is energized. The belt "I15 is under power applied and is turning the shaft I16 during all the 'film developing operation, the purpose of the slip clutch pulley I14 being to absorb and neutralize any time delays in the controls of the interrelated mechanisms.

The intermittent movement of the sprocketwheel I42 and the parts amxed thereto is also solenoid-controlled, as shown in detail in Figs; 15 and 16. A star-wheel I84 .is mounted from the lower, or fixed ring I31, by a shaft I85 so as to have its teeth engage-able with the pins I44, and has extending upwardly from its upper, side a plurality of pins I66 equal in number to its teeth. A double deten't I81, having a slot I86 permitting longitudinal movement around the shalt I85, rests upon the upper surface of the star-wheel I64 and has an arm I69 raised to.

permit passage of the pins I86 therebeneath and connected through a link I90 with the core of.

a solenoid I9I against which it is urged by a spring I92. "I'he detent I81 is provided with pawl: teeth I93 and I94, so spaced as to be able to engage diametrically opposite pins I86 in alternation when moved reciprocatively by the linkand solenoid. It will be remembered that the sprocket-wheel I42 is driven .from the slip clutch;

pulley and is, therefore, constantly urged to rotate while the motor I46 is activated. It will be; restrained from such rotation by the engagement of a tooth of the star wheel I84 with one of the pins I44 until such time as the star wheel is permitted to rotate. The star wheel is, in turn, prevented from rotating until the pins I66 are freed of engagement with the pawl teeth I93 and I94.-

V/henthe solenoid IIII is de-energized, the detent I81 is in the position shown in Fig. 15, with the pawl tooth I93 in restraining contact with a pin I 86. Another of the pins I86 will just have passed the tooth I94. When the solenoid ls momentarily energized, the tooth I93 will be pushed away from the tooth engaged thereby, and aci ther tooth will for the moment have a restraining effect, the star wheel I04 being free to turn and therefore the sprocket wheel I42 being alsolree. Movement of the sprocket wheel will cause the star wheel to turn until another of the pine I66 comes in contact with the tooth I94, as

shown in Fig. 16. This will stop all rotation. Deenergizing the solenoid will bring the detent back to the position of Fig. 15, with the tooth I94 allowing its engaged pin I86 to pass, and the tooth:

I93 catching the on-comin-g pin. It will be seen that this action is essentially an escapement movement, permitting first a major and then a minor motion, the object being to prevents, rota-- tion of the sprocket-wheel I42 greater than the spacing between two pins Ill-end so greater than the centers of adjacent tanks I38--by having tooth I94 in a restraining position in the event of delay in the solenoid action.

By having the solenoids I19, I18, and I 9| energized in that order the arm I12 and the immerser I2I are made to move in sequence-say from the initial position in which the exposed film I20 has been placed in the immerser-down into the developing tank, up out of that tank, and over to the next tank to repeat the dipping.

It is of great importance to subject the film in the immerser to a thorough washing by the solutions into which it is dipped, and to accomplish this the baths must be agitated to bring fresh chemicals and rinses constantly to the surface of the exposed strip. For that reason the immerser is constructed, as shown in Figs. 11, 12, and 13, of two Z-shaped channel members 200, placed back to back to form a channel in which the exposed strip I20 is confined by its edges and is supported at the bottom by a finger 20I, and to provide outwardly directed rails slidable within the channels of the slideway I13. The channel members 200 are slightly divergent at their upper ends to facilitate entrance of the end of the film strip into the immerser, and are held in spaced relation by bars or vanes 202 which connect them on the side towards which the face, or photograph side, of the strip I20 is turned. To limit movement of the immerser upwardly in the slideway a set screw 202a is secured in one of the bars 202, and to maintain the immerser against falling from the slideway two pins 20217 are formed on the members 200. The bars 202 are. slab-shaped and inclined so as to engage each of the channel members at different levels and are furthermore obliquely placed so as to have an upper edge 203 turned outwardly from the strip I20 and a lower edge 203a turned inwardly thereto, thus presenting downward and outward, and upward and inward, flat sides. This doubly diagonal construction results in great turbulence of th baths, effectively churning and rolling the liquids against the face of the exposed strip on both the downward and upward strokes of the immerser.

The arrangement of tanks I33 which I have found to be most satisfactory is shown in Fig. 22. A series of fourteen tanks is there illustrated, but it is to be understood that this number is merely one of convenience and may be varied, with corresponding changes in other parts or the apparatus, as for instance the fourteen pins 44 in the sprocket Wheel I42, and the cams 51 on the current distributor D which control the number and timing of the operations of the solenoids I18, I19, and HM. The tank L, which is directly below the camera 50, is the first into which the immerser I2I is dipped, and contains develop ing fluid. It is followed in sequence by two tanks R containing water for rinsing, a tank M containing bleaching liquid, two more rinsing tanks R, a tank N containing a clearing bath, two more rinsing tanks R, a tank containing a fluid for redeveloping and fixing, three more rinsing tanks R, and finally a tank P at which the exposed strip I20 is picked from the immerser I2I and the immerser is dipped in order to rinse the empty frame. It being understood that the immerser moves into and out of the outer compartments I38a'of the tanks L to 0, only these compartments contain the required liquids, the fun ner compartments constituting,overflow tanks to receive through the orifices I382) excess liquid 10 deposited in the outer compartments as carried by the immerser from the preceding tank.

The means for picking the exposed, and now developed, strip I20 from the immerser I2I and for delivering it, which comprise the door-opening mechanism J and the film ejecting mechanism K, are shown in Figs. 1'1 to 20. An arm 204 is pivotally supported by the hinge 205 so as to be arcuately movable by a spring-returned solenoid 206 acting through a crank lever 201 pivoted at 208. The free end of the arm 204 is provided with a fixed jaw 209 and a movable jaw 210 and when the solenoid is de-energized the free end of the arm and the said jaws extend outwardly through an opening 2II in the panel 32, as shown in full lines in Fig. 18. When the solenoid is energized the arm will be retracted to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 18. The arm 204 is hollow and contains a'spring'2I2, backed by a stop 2 I4, by which the movable jaw 2I0 is urged toward the fixed jaw 209, the jaw 2I0 being guided in this movement by a supporting collar 2I5, slidable upon the arm, and by a plunger 2IB operating within the 1' arm and against the spring. The rearward portion of the jaw 2I0, below the arm 204, terminates in an upwardly extending guide lug 2" which slides in a slot 2I8 in the arm 204 and with which the plunger 216 is integral, and ina downwardly extending lug 2I9 by which the jaw may be opened. The opposed gripping portions of both jaws are laterally extended from the arm 204 so as to be able to reach outwardly through the opening 2I I, and are positioned below the arm so as to grip the strip I20 while permitting the arm to swing thereover; and the face of the jaw 2I0 has a pad 220 to prevent film strip from slipping edgewise.

A plate 22I is mounted below the arm 204 and carries on its upper surface a cam rail 222 and an angle iron 224. When the arm 204 is retracted by the energized solenoid 206, the lug 2I9 will pass to the rear, or right side, of the cam rail 222 as seen in Figs. 17 and 18 and will be moved thereby to force the plunger 2IB against the spring 2I2 and to open the jaw 2I0; At the limit of the retractive movement of the arm, the lug 2I9 will pass beyond the end of the cam rail and release the compression on the pring, causing the jaws to close upon the strip I20. At this moment, it will be understood, the irnmerser I2I is caused to dip into the tank P, leaving the strip I20 suspended in the jaws. When the solenoid 206 is de-energized, the arm 204 will be returned by the solenoid spring to the opening 2I I, with the lug 2I9 passing freely by the left side of the cam rail 222. Substan tially at the end of this swing, the lug 2I9 will come into contact with the angle iron 224 and.

be moved thereby to the right, thus forcing the jaw 2I0 to open and to release the strip I20 to drop through cover 44 and fall onto chute 45.

It will be seen that the opening 2I I must have a vertical length equal to the length of the strip 2 I20 to permit the outward passage thereof, and an opening of such size, even though hooded by.

the cover 44, would admit a dangerous amount of light when the fiood lamps 3B are illuminated. The opening is therefore, normally covered by a door 230 except for a small area through which the arm 204- extends, the door being cut away at that-point to conform closely to the shape of the arm: A springreturned solenoid 23I, shown-in Fig; 3, is connected to the door 230 by a oral-1k lever 232 and a rod 234. Energizatlon of the solenoid will cause the door to open, and the solenoid spring will cause it to close. The door is normally" held in close position by a slide bar 235 to which the rod 234 is attached. The slide bar 235 is guided to a keeper 236 by guide pins 231, and is urged into locking position by .a spring 238 attached to a post 239 on the door. Thefirst retractive movement-of the rod 234 will withdraw the slide bar 235 from the keeper 236, and further retractive movement will swing the door to open position. When the door is again swung closed, the rod 234 will tend to thrust the slide bar into the keeper, but as the desired motion of the bar is radial to the final arcuate motion of the rod, and as there is lost motion in the linkage, the spring 238 is provided to insure locking.

The sequence of operation of my automatic photographic apparatus is as follows. Upon the deposit of an appropriate coin in the receiver 42, the circuit to the control motor 54 is closed and the master current distributor D is set in operation. The shutter motor H is started, and the signal light 38, for which the switch 81 Was left closed from the last previous operation, is lighted as an indication to the sitter to look in that direction. Activation of the solenoid permits the shutter to make one revolution, during which the hood lamps '36 are illi'm'iinatcd through the action of the cam ill on the mercury switch 83; an exposure is made; the cam I moves the interrupter bar IM to permit a new frame of film to be rolled into place; and the crank lever 85 moves the switch 81 to turn on the next signal light. 'This operation is repeated four times, at the end of which period a strip 01' four exposed frames of film will be suspended through the guide channel TIB into'the immerser III which is held in raised position by the lifting arm I2! and spring I30.

The circuit to the shutter motor is now opened, the solenoid H0 is activated to sever the exposed strip 420 and immediately inactivated, and the solenoid I23 is activated to lower'the immerser I-2l into the 's'lideway I13. The motor I46 is started to put into operation the developing unit G.

When the motor H6 starts, the shaft I16 is held in neutral position by the tension of the belt I15, so that neither of the friction discs I80 and IBI is in contact with the friction wheel I 59, and the vertical shaft I58 is accordingly stationary. The sprocket wheel I42 is also held stationary by the star wheel I 84. The solenoid I19 is now activated, thrusting the disc I80 against the wheel I59, and causing the elevator I65 to dip the immers'er IZI and strip H28 into the first tank L. The solenoid is inactivated as soon as the dipping movement is completed, the shaft 116 then returning to neutral'position, and the elevator remaining lowered.

Activation of the solenoid I18 now occurs which causes the elevator to lift the immerser and strip above the top of the tanks, with the bars 202 producinga churning action of the bath against the face of the strip on both the dipping andilii'tingmovements. The solenoid I18 is now released, permitting theshaft I16 to refrom to neutral position. By alternate activation of the solenoids I18 and 119 the immerser is reciprocated to "successively agitate the developing fluid to insure complete development of the film strip. The solenoid I 91 is now activated tolpermitoperation of the escapement movement mnpn-icmgthe detent r181 androtchet wheel 18.4,

so that the sprocket wheel I42 and the attached column I52, elevator 166,-and extension arm H2 are moved to place the immerser I'll and strip I20 above the first rinsing tank. This sequence of activation and release of the solenoids I10, I18, and I9I is continued until the immerser has been dipped into allof the tanks and is returned to its position above the tank L. The solenoid I23 is then momentarily energized to allow the lifting arm I 24 toraise the immerserinto aligned continuity with the guide channel H6, and the motor I46 is stopped.

Prior to this last mentioned step, when the iminerser is swung into position above the tank P, the solenoid 23I is activated and the door .230 is opened. The solenoid 206 is activated and the arm 204 is retracted, until the lug 2I0 passes around the end of the cam rail 222 when the thus-opened .jaws 209 and 210 will close on the upper margin of the strip I20. The final activation of the solenoid I19 now occurs and the immerser MI is dipped into the tank -P, leaving the strip I20 suspended between the said jaws. The solenoid 206 is then released, causing the arm 204 to swing thestrip I20 outwardly through the opening 2H and then to drop the strip onto the chute 45 as the jaws are opened by contact of the lug 2I9 with the .angle iron 22. The solenoid 23I is then released. causin the door 230 to close.

At the completion of the foregoing operations, the respective cam wheel 51 of the distributor D opens the respective coin follower 58 to disrupt the circuit for the motor 54 and thus bringittc a stop.

Having now described and illustrated a preferred form of my invention which is fully capable of attaining the various useful objects herein set forth, it is to be understood that this description and illustration is by way of example and that changes in form and arrangement may be made by those skilled .in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an automatic photographic apparatus for taking pictures on a sensitized strip: a cabinet inclusive of a photographic dark room; a plurality of vessels within said dark room .for holding baths for developing and rinsing said strip; a carrier adapted to receive said strip after exposure; elevator means for successively dipping saidcarrier into said baths;.means for transporting said strip from said elevator means to a delivery point outside said darkroom; a door between said darkroom and said delivery point; and means for openin and closin said door .in timed relation to the movement of said strip transporting means to and from the delivery point.

2. In a photographic apparatus: a vessel for holding a liquid used in the developing process of a film; a carrier for the film; and mechanism for reciprocating said carrier in substantially a vertical path in said vessel; and vanes extending transversely and spaced along the length of the carrier to agitate the liquid in said vessel over the surface of the film according as said carrier moves downwardly or upwardly in said vessel.

3. In combination: a carrier for holding a length of film in extended position therein with the sensitized surface thereof exposed; and vanes bridging the carrierat intervals along the length of the carrier, each "vane inclined "transversely and extending obliquely-.0! said whereby the solution circulated over the film is acceler-' ated under reciprocation of the film.

4. A carrier for a film strip adapted to be reciprocated in liquids in a path parallel to its length, including: longitudinally extending channel members for receiving the margins of a film strip and holding it in extended position; and spaced vanes bridging said members along their length and inclined and obliquely disposed relative thereto, whereby under axial reciprocation Vertically of the carrier in a developing solution such solution will be circulated in oblique paths over the surface of the film strip.

5. In combination: a guide member for a film strip; a vertically reciprocable elevator below said member; an extension arm carried by said elevator and having a guiding member mounted thereon; and a film immerser carried by but slidable vertically in said guiding member to occupy an elevated position when said guiding member and arm are in an uppermost position wherein it is extended into said member.

6. In a combination: a guide member for a film strip; an elevator reciprocable in different vertical paths in one of which it is alined substantially vertically with said member; an extension arm carried by said elevator and having a guiding member mounted on the outer end thereof; a film immerser carried by but slidable vertically in said guiding member to occupy elevated and lowered positions; and mechanism operable to move said arm and immerser to elevated position on said elevator only when the latter is at the top of its movement in that path of substantial alinement with said guiding member to move the immerser into said last mentioned member.

7. In an automatic photographic apparatus for taking pictures upon a sensitized strip: carrier means for said strip; severing means for an exposed portion of said strip; elevator means for supporting said carrier means for slidable vertical movement relative thereto; means for lifting said carrier means adjacent said severing means while retaining slidable engagement of said carrier means with said elevator means; and means for aligning said carrier means with said severing means to receive said strip therefrom.

8. In a photographic apparatus; a vessel for holding a liquid for the developmental processing of a film; a carrier for holding a length of film in extended vertical position therein; mechanism for reciprocating said carrier in said vessel; and spaced vanes on said carrier; said vanes being obliquely disposed thereon; and said series of vanes overlying substantially the entire length of said carrier and the film arranged therein for agitating the liquid in said vessel over the surface of the film under movement of said carrier in said vessel.

9. In a photographic apparatus; a vessel for holding a liquid for the developmental processing of a film; a carrier for holding a length of film in extended vertical position therein; mechanism for reciprocating said carrier in said vessel; spaced vanes on and extending transversely of said carrier; said vanes being obliquely disposed thereon; and said series of vanes overlying substantially the entire length of said carrier and the film arranged therein for agitating the liquid in said vessel over the surface of the film under movement of said carrier in said vessel.

PHILIP S. ALLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,061,667 Gerhard May 13, 1913 1,233,109 Nesbit July 10, 1917 1,328,305 Sussman Jan. 20, 1920 1,651,454 Hayes Dec. 6, 1927 1,842,890 Williams Jan. 26, 1932 1,863,689 Dye June 21, 1932 1,925,154 Safilr Sept. 5, 1933 2,263,380 Coleman Nov. 18, 1941 2,265,975 Lloyd Dec. 9, 1941 2,325,120 Forse July 27, 1943 2,362,587 Sandeson Nov. 14, 1944 2,380,378 Allen July 31, 1945 

